Stanford's Hydrogen and Natural Gas Initiatives

Dr. Naomi Boness is the managing director of the Natural Gas Initiative and co-managing director of the Hydrogen Initiative at Stanford University. With a Ph.D. in Geophysics from Stanford and over 13 years in technical and management roles at Chevron, Dr. Boness combines deep scientific knowledge with real-world experience in energy operations. In this episode, we dive into the molecule side of energy, focusing on the evolving roles of natural gas and hydrogen in a decarbonizing world. Topics range from geopolitics and energy security to emissions challenges and the future of these key resources in the energy mix. In this episode, we cover: [1:38] Dr. Boness' work and focus at Stanford [5:10] Corporate involvement: utilities, investment firms, and oil majors[7:12] Natural gas in the global energy mix and its role as a coal alternative[9:09] Addressing the critical issue of methane leaks[11:42] Incentives for midstream players to participate [13:53] Dr. Boness' pov on the idea of halting oil and gas production entirely[16:04] Geopolitical dynamics of natural gas production and exportation[20:59] Breakdown of the global gas production mix[22:55] Effects of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on the European gas market[27:10] DPower vs. heat transition and natural gas' role[29:49] Vision for the future of natural gas in a renewable energy landscape[33:55] Challenges and trade-offs in transitioning from natural gas and investing in infrastructure[39:25] Potential role of hydrogen in decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors[43:38] Environmental impacts of hydrogen as a potential greenhouse gas[47:33] Policy and regulatory hurdles for clean hydrogen production[50:39] Issues surrounding the "45V rule" in the Inflation Reduction Act[54:21] Dr. Boness' top policy priorities and wish list Episode recorded on Aug 14, 2024 (Published on Nov 21, 2024) Stay Connected with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedIn | XVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.